Welch, Cachemaille-Day & Lander

The partnership was made up of three quite different architects; Herbert Welch, Felix Lander and Nugent Francis Cachemaille-Day. Welch was the elder to the trio, born in 1884. He started his career as one of Raymond Unwin’s assistants working on Hampstead Garden Suburb, and later partnered with Frederick Etchells, designing the Crawford Advertising office in High Holborn (1930), considered one of the first Modern Movement buildings in Britain. He joined Lander and Cachemaille-Day, who already were in partnership, in 1930.

Felix Lander also started out as an assistant to Raymond Unwin, also working on the planning and design of Welwyn Garden City, Lander went to work for Adams, Holden and Pearson, and Charles Holden’s influence can be seen at Lander and Welch’s Park Royal tube station (1936). Nugent Francis Cachemaille-Day was born in 1896 in South Woodford, Essex and is best known today for his church designs between 1930-55, these designs vary from traditional to moderne to proto-brutalist. Like Welch and Lander he cut his teeth in the Garden Cities, working for Louis de Soissons in Welwyn Garden City, where he met Lander. They went into partnership together, before joining up with Welch.

During their five years in partnership, the trio designed a range of buildings including churches, offices, flats and much else. But the partnership is most remembered for their houses, particularly the Suntrap house, a combination of art deco and traditional styles that was eagerly taken up by speculative house builders all over suburbia. The partnership was dissolved in 1935, with Cachemaille-Day continuing to design innovative churches, and Welch and Lander continuing working together, with Felix’s son Sean continuing the company after the death of Welch in 1956 and his father in 1960.


Featured Buildings: 54-60 Barn Rise, All Saints Church Feltham, The Avenue, The Cedars, Hanger Court, Lawns Court Flats, Mayfields, Old Rectory Gardens, Park Royal Garage and Hotel, Park Royal Station, Penshurst Gardens, Spencer Drive, St Mary's Becontree,  St Mary's West Twyford, St. Michael's House, St Paul's Parish Church, St. Paul's Ruislip, Park Royal Station, The Ridings


See Also: A House for Metro-Land: Welch, Lander & Day, Cachemaille-Day, Speculative Suburban Houses, ​